A semi-automatic hinge of a mobile terminal having an inward-foldable flexible screen and a mobile terminal having an inward-foldable flexible screen

ABSTRACT

The invention provides a semi-automatic hinge of a mobile terminal having an inward-foldable flexible screen, which comprises a middle U-shaped cover, a left support frame, and a right support frame, and the left support frame, the right support frame and the U-shaped cover are rotatably connected; a torsion mechanism is provided between the left support frame and the U-shaped cover, and the right support frame and the U-shaped cover. The invention also provides an inward-foldable flexible screen mobile terminal using the above hinge. The invention has a simple structure, can achieve the semi-automatic operation of opening and flattening and folding of the hinge, provides a better sense of operation experience, and can make the middle mechanism of the hinge not to be exposed after the hinge is closed and provide a space for accommodating the bending portion of the flexible screen.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The invention relates to a mobile terminal and its hinge.

BACKGROUND

Flexible screen is an emerging screen. For the mechanical structure of aflexible screen mobile terminal, providing a semi-automatic hinge withopening and closing functions is a major issue.

SUMMARY

The first technical problem to be solved by the present invention is toprovide a semi-automatic hinge of a mobile terminal having aninward-foldable flexible screen, which has a simple structure and can beused as a hinge for a mobile terminal with a flexible screen inside. Tothis end, the present invention adopts the following technicalsolutions:

A semi-automatic hinge of a mobile terminal having an inward-foldableflexible screen, wherein it comprises a middle U-shaped cover, a leftsupport frame, and a right support frame, which the left support frame,the right support frame, and the U-shaped cover are rotatably connected;a foldable and unfoldable flexible screen support plate is connected tothe left support frame, the right support, and the U-shaped cover, andthe flexible screen support plate is located inside the hinge to providesupport for the flexible screen when the hinge is opened and flattenedand provide space for storing the flexible parts of the flexible screenin folded state when the hinge is folded;

A torsion mechanism is provided between the left support frame and theU-shaped cover, and between the right support frame and the U-shapedcover, and the torsion mechanism comprises a torsion bar, a slider, anda spring; one end of the torsion bar is rotatably connected with theU-shaped cover, and the other end is connected with the slider; theslider is connected with the left support frame or the right supportframe, and the spring is arranged between the slider and the leftsupport frame or the right support frame; the torsion bar is in ainclined state when the hinge is in the opened and flattened state andin the folded state, and the spring passes through a critical state whenthe torsion bar transits from one inclined state to the other inclinedstate.

Further, the flexible screen support plate is composed of a rotatablefirst left support plate, a second left support plate, a first rightsupport plate and a second right support plate; the inner end of thefirst left support plate is rotatably connected with the outer end ofthe second left support plate, and the shaft is connected with the upperleft side of the U-shaped cover; the inner end of the first rightsupport plate is rotatably connected with the outer end of the secondright support plate, and the shaft is connected with the upper rightside of the U-shaped cover; the outer end of the first left supportplate, the inner end of the second left support plate, the outer end ofthe first right support plate and the inner end of the second rightsupport plate are all free ends; the second left support plate and thesecond right support plate rotate in the space provided by the U-shapedcover; the outer end of the first left support plate and the outer endof the first right support plate are movably connected with the leftsupport frame and the right support frame respectively, and a guidemechanism for the activity is arranged between them.

Furthermore, the inner ends of the left support frame and the rightsupport frame are respectively connected with the synchronous mechanism,so that the left support frame and the right support frame can rotatesynchronously and reversely.

Furthermore, the first left support plate and the second left supportplate are movably connected to their shafts, and the first left supportplate is provided with a short lever arm that takes the shaft as afulcrum to pull and support the second left support plate; the firstright support plate and the second right support plate are movablyconnected with their shafts; the first right support plate is providedwith a short lever arm that takes the shaft as a fulcrum to pull andsupport the second right support plate.

Furthermore, the guide mechanism comprises a guide groove provided onthe left support frame and the right support frame, and a guide pin orguide shaft on the first left support plate and the first right supportplate, and the guide grooves on the left support frame and the rightsupport frame are symmetrically arranged.

Furthermore, a mounting cavity is provided at the end of the U-shapedcover, and a synchronization mechanism is installed in the mountingcavity.

Another technical problem to be solved by the present invention is toprovide a mobile terminal having inward-foldable flexible screen usingthe above hinge. To this end, the present invention adopts the followingtechnical solution:

A mobile terminal having an inward-foldable flexible screen, wherein themobile terminal is provided with any one of the above hinges, and theflexible screen is laid on the inner side of the mobile terminal.

As a result of adopting the technical solution of the present invention,the present invention has a simple stmcture, can achieve thesemi-automatic operation of opening and flattening and folding of thehinge, provides a better sense of operation experience, and can make themiddle mechanism of the hinge not exposed after folding and providespace for accommodating the bending portion of the flexible screen. Whenthe hinge of the present invention is applied to mobile terminals suchas mobile phones, e-books, laptops, etc., it can be used not only as thehinge, but also as a flexible screen supporting stmcture. When themobile phone and the laptop are opened and closed, the flexible screencan be unfolded and folded freely, so that the flexible screens can beused in mobile terminals such as mobile phones, e-books, and laptops toenables the mobile terminals to realize large-screen display in a smallvolume.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of the hinge embodiment of the inventionin the folded state.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of the hinge embodiment of the inventionin the open and flattened state.

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of the mobile terminal embodiment of theinvention in the folded state.

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of the mobile terminal embodiment of theinvention in the open and flattened state.

FIG. 5 is the first sectional view of the hinge embodiment of theinvention in the folded state, showing that the flexible screen supportplate is folded to provide space for accommodating the bending portionof the flexible screen.

FIG. 6 is the first sectional view of the hinge embodiment of theinvention in the open and flattened state, showing the open andflattened state of the flexible screen support plate.

FIG. 7 is the second sectional view of the hinge embodiment of theinvention in the folded state, showing the matching relationship of thetorsion mechanism in this state.

FIG. 8 is the second sectional view of the hinge embodiment of theinvention in the open and flattened state, showing the matchingrelationship of the torsion mechanism in this state.

FIG. 9 is a sectional view of the mobile terminal embodiment of theinvention in the state of FIG. 7.

FIG. 10 is a sectional view of the mobile terminal embodiment of theinvention in the state of FIG. 7.

FIGS. 11, 12 and 13 are the three sectional views of the hingeembodiment of the invention in the folded state, the middle state andthe open and flattened state respectively, showing the state change ofthe flexible screen support plate.

FIG. 14 is an exploded view of an embodiment of the hinge of theinvention.

FIGS. 15 and 16 are schematic diagrams of another embodiment of the leftsupport frame and the right support frame respectively.

FIG. 17 is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of adding a torsionspring to the second left support plate and the second right supportplate.

FIGS. 18 and 19 are sectional views of the hinge embodiment of theinvention in folded state and unfolded state when torsion spring isadded, respectively, showing the state change of flexible screen supportplate.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Refer to the attached drawings. The semi-automatic hinge of a mobileterminal having an inward-foldable flexible screen provided by thepresent invention comprises a middle U-shaped cover 3, a left supportframe 1, and a right support frame 2. As shown in FIGS. 1, 2, and 14,the left support frame 1 and the right support frame 2 both includeconnecting arms 10, 20, and are rotatably connected with the U-shapedcover 3 through the connecting arms 10, 20 and, as shown in FIGS. 15,16, both the left support frame 1 and the connecting arm 10, and theright support frame 2 and the connecting arm 20 can be integral parts;the foldable and unfoldable flexible screen support plate is connectedon the left support frame 1, the right support frame 2 and the U-shapedcover 3; the flexible screen support plate is located inside the hinge,provides support for the flexible screen 300 when the hinge is open andflattened, and which provides space 301 for accommodating the bendingportion of the flexible screen when the hinge is folded.

A torsion mechanism is arranged between the left support frame 1 and theU-shaped cover 3, and between the right support frame 2 and the U-shapedcover 3 to provide the semi-automatic opening and folding functions ofthe hinge. That is to say, manual operation is required at the beginningof opening or folding operation. At this time, the spring in the torsionmechanism is compressed to store energy. When the spring is opened orfolded to a certain angle, the hinge will open or fold automaticallyafter passing a critical state that the spring changes from storingenergy to releasing energy.

The torsion mechanism comprises a rotatably torsion bar 41, a slider 42and a spring 43, one end of the torsion bar 41 is rotatably connectedwith the U-shaped cover 3, and the other end is rotatably connected withthe slider 42. The slider 42 is located in the holes 11 and 21 of theleft support frame 1 or the right support frame 2 and is slidablyconnected with the left support frame 1 or the right support frame 2,and between the slider 42 and the left support frame 1, the spring 43 isarranged between the two parts. The torsion bar 41 is in an inclinedstate when the hinge is in the open and flattened state and foldedstate, and the slider 42 makes the spring 43 pass through a criticalstate by moving towards its extreme position in the direction ofcompressing the spring when the torsion bar changes from one inclinedstate to the other inclined state, which makes the hinge changes frommanual to automatic (spring driven). As shown in the figure, when thehinge is opened and flattened, the torsion bar inclines to the directionaway from the flexible screen (one inclined state), and in the processof the hinge moving from the open and flattened state to the foldedstate, the torsion bar will incline to the direction towards theflexible screen (another inclined state).

The flexible screen support plate is composed of a rotatable first leftsupport plate 51, a second left support plate 52, a first right supportplate 61 and a second right support plate 62; the inner end of the firstleft support plate 51 is rotatably connected with the outer end of thesecond left support plate 52, and the shaft 50 is connected with theupper left side of the U-shaped cover 3; the inner end of the firstright support plate 61 is rotatably connected with the outer end of thesecond right support plate 62, and the shaft 60 and the upper right sideof the U-shaped cover 3 is connected; the outer end of the first leftsupport plate 51, the inner end of the second left support plate 52, theouter end of the first right support plate 61 and the inner end of thesecond right support plate 62 are all free ends; the second left supportplate 52 and the second right support plate 62 rotate in the space 30provided by the U-shaped cover 3 with the shafts 50 and 60 as the axes,respectively. The outer end of the first left support plate 51 and thefirst right support plate 61 are movably connected with the left supportframe 1 and the right support frame 2, respectively, and the movableguide mechanism is arranged between them. The guide mechanism are guidegrooves 12 and 22 arranged on the left support frame 1 and the rightsupport frame 2, and a guide pin or guide shaft 510 and 610 arranged onthe first left support plate 51 and the first right support plate 61,and the guide grooves 12 and 22 on the left support frame 1 and theright support frame 2 are symmetrically arranged.

The first left support plate 51 and the second left support plate 52 aremovably connected with their shaft 50, and the first left support plate51 is provided with a short lever arm 511 which takes the shaft 50 as afulcrum to pull and support the second left support plate 52; the firstright support plate 61 and the second right support plate 62 are movablyconnected with their shaft 60, and the first right support plate 61 isprovided with a short lever arm 611 which takes the shaft 60 as thefulcrum to pull and support the second right support plate 52.

In the process of hinge folding, the first left support plate 51 and thefirst right support plate 61 can rotate about the shafts 50 and 60. Atthe same time, the left support frame 1 and the right support frame 2rotate to the top of the U-shaped cover 3, while the shaft 50 is on theupper left side of the U-shaped cover 3, and the shaft 60 is on theupper right side of the U-shaped cover 3, so that the space between thefirst left support plate 51 and the first right support plate 61 isenlarged, and the second left support plate 52 and the second rightsupport plate 62 automatically rotate after losing support, therebyproviding a larger space 301. In the process of hinge opening andflattening, since the short arms 511 and 611 support the second leftsupport plate 52 and the second right support plate 62, the operation ofopening and flattening will be very easy.

As shown in FIGS. 17, 18 and 19, torsion springs 53 and 63 can also beset on the shafts 50 and 60. One ends of the torsion springs are againstthe U-shaped cover 3, and the other ends are connected with the secondleft support plate 52 and the second right support plate 62. When thesecond left support plate 52 and the second right support plate 62 losethe support of the short arms 511 and 611, the torsion springs will playa assisting role, so that the second left support plate 52 and thesecond right support plate 62 can quickly move to the bottom of theU-shaped cover 3, which improves the sensitivity of the work, and thespace 301 is rapidly formed.

The inner ends of the left support frame 1 and the right support frame2, that is, the connecting arms 10 and 20, are respectively connectedwith the synchronous mechanism, so that the left support frame 1 and theright support frame 2 can rotate synchronously and reversely. Thesynchronous mechanism may adopt a gear mechanism, which may comprisegears 71, 72, 73, 74 that are successively meshed. The parameters of thegear can be symmetrical or asymmetrical according to the action designrequirements of the hinge opening. The gears 71 and 74 are respectivelyconnected with connecting arms 10 and 20. The end of the U-shaped cover3 is provided with a mounting cavity 31, and the synchronous mechanismis installed in the mounting cavity 31.

For the mobile terminal applying the hinge, taking a mobile phone as anexample, the flexible screen 300 is laid on the inner side of the hingeand the inner side of the left main support plate 100 and the right mainsupport plate 200 of the flexible screen. The left support frame 1 andthe right support frame 2 can be respectively integrated with the leftmain support plate 100 and the right main support plate 200 of theflexible screen of the mobile terminal or are separate parts and fixedas an integral whole.

The above is only a specific embodiment of the invention, but thestructural features of the invention are not limited to this. Anychanges or modifications made by those skilled in the art in the fieldof the present invention are covered in the protection scope of thepresent invention.

1. A semi-automatic hinge of a mobile terminal having an inward-foldableflexible screen, wherein it comprises a middle U-shaped cover, a leftsupport frame, and a right support frame, which the left support frame,the right support frame, and the U-shaped cover are rotatably connected;a foldable and unfoldable flexible screen support plate is connected tothe left support frame, the right support, and the U-shaped cover, andthe flexible screen support plate is located inside the hinge to providesupport for the flexible screen when the hinge is opened and flattenedand provide space for storing the flexible parts of the flexible screenin folded state when the hinge is folded; a torsion mechanism isprovided between the left support frame and the U-shaped cover, andbetween the right support frame and the U-shaped cover, and the torsionmechanism comprises a rotatably torsion bar, a slider, and a spring; oneend of the torsion bar is rotatably connected with the U-shaped cover,and the other end is connected with the slider; the slider is connectedwith the left support frame or the right support frame, and the springis arranged between the slider and the left support frame or the rightsupport frame; the torsion bar is in a inclined state when the hinge isin the opened and flattened state and in the folded state, and thespring passes through a critical state when the torsion bar transitsfrom one inclined state to the other inclined state.
 2. Thesemi-automatic hinge of a mobile terminal having an inward-foldableflexible screen according to claim 1, wherein the flexible screensupport plate is composed of a rotatable first left support plate, asecond left support plate, a first right support plate and a secondright support plate; the inner end of the first left support plate isrotatably connected with the outer end of the second left support plate,and the shaft is connected with the upper left side of the U-shapedcover; the inner end of the first right support plate is rotatablyconnected with the outer end of the second right support plate, and theshaft is connected with the upper right side of the U-shaped cover; theouter end of the first left support plate, the inner end of the secondleft support plate, the outer end of the first right support plate andthe inner end of the second right support plate are all free ends; thesecond left support plate and the second right support plate rotate inthe space provided by the U-shaped cover; the outer end of the firstleft support plate and the outer end of the first right support plateare movably connected with the left support frame and the right supportframe respectively, and a guide mechanism for the activity is arrangedbetween them.
 3. The semi-automatic hinge of a mobile terminal having aninward-foldable flexible screen according to claim 1, wherein the innerends of the left support frame and the right support frame arerespectively connected with the synchronous mechanism, so that the leftsupport frame and the right support frame can rotate synchronously andreversely.
 4. The semi-automatic hinge of a mobile terminal having aninward-foldable flexible screen according to claim 2, wherein the firstleft support plate and the second left support plate are movablyconnected to their shafts, and the first left support plate is providedwith a short lever arm that takes the shaft as a fulcrum to pull andsupport the second left support plate; the first right support plate andthe second right support plate are movably connected with their shafts,and the first right support plate is provided with a short lever armthat takes the shaft as a fulcrum to pull and support the second rightsupport plate.
 5. The semi-automatic hinge of a mobile terminal havingan inward-foldable flexible screen according to claim 1, wherein theguide mechanism comprises a guide groove provided on the left supportframe and the right support frame, and a guide pin or guide shaft on thefirst left support plate and the first right support plate, and theguide grooves on the left support frame and the right support frame aresymmetrically arranged.
 6. The semi-automatic hinge of a mobile terminalhaving an inward-foldable flexible screen according to claim 3, whereina mounting cavity is provided at the end of the U-shaped cover, and asynchronization mechanism is installed in the mounting cavity.
 7. Amobile terminal having an inward-foldable flexible screen, wherein themobile terminal is provided with any hinge according to claim 1, and theflexible screen is laid on the inner side of the mobile terminal.